Historical Fictionistas discussion

The nominations for April are now open.

Renaissance artist Raphael (1483-1520) was born in Urbino, Italy in April. For April the theme is art. To create a broader theme, art can including the art of creation such as painting, drawing, and mixed media; and performing art, such as dance, opera, and theatre. Be sure in your nomination to explain how your book fits the theme.

The book must be Historical Fiction (meeting our definition) that has was published at least three months ago. The book must also be available in all three formats-Book, ebook, and audiobook.


REMINDERS
NO SELF NOMINATION- Any member who self nominates a book, will have the post deleted and the member will be removed from the group.
NOMINATION POST MUST INCLUDE: TITLE, AUTHOR, AND EXPLANATION OF HOW IT RELATES TO THE THEME - If any one of these three things is missing from the nomination post, it will not be counted.
EVERY MEMBER GETS ONE NOMINATION AND ONE SECOND - Please make sure you are clearly marking if you are nominating and/or seconding a book. Too much extra chatter in the nomination thread makes it difficult for the moderators to keep track of the books that need to be counted.
BOOKS IN A SERIES MUST BE READ IN SERIES ORDER -Book 4 in a series cannot be nominated if the group has not read books 1-3
For a complete breakdown of how the nomination process works, see this thread - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE look over the bookshelf containing all of the past group reads. Past group reads cannot be nominated again -
https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

Nominations will close on February 15th.

Nominations up to post #27

1. The Last Painting of Sarah de Vos by Dominic Smith- 2 seconds
2. Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle- 1 second
3. The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier - 1 second
4. The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis- 1 second
5. Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner- 1 second
6. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
7. I Am You by Victoria Redel
8. The Painted Girls by Cathy Mari Buchanan
9. Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin

I nominate the stolen queen by Fiona Davis. It’s is both loosely and directly related to the theme of Art. it is set within the Met and an Egyptian archeological
Dig. The piece they discuss are art pieces. I love how it jumps back and forth in time.
.

I nominate The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis. It is about a young woman artist, Clara Darden, in the 1920s who teaches art at Grand Central Terminal (evidently a real thing from the 20s). The dual timeline is also historical, set is 1974, and surrounds a woman who finds the art of Clara Darden and tries to find out what happened to her. It is available in all 3 formats, and we haven't read it yet.

I nominate The Last Painting of Sarah de Vos by Dominic Smith published in 2016. The story is not based on one specific historical figure, but is a composite(or type) of a specific group. It involves a dual timeline, and the struggle of women to gain acceptance into a previously male dominated realm, this one a Dutch artist's guild. I scanned through our groups previous reads, and if I missed this one my apologies.

I nominate "Mad Enchantment," by Ross King. Published in 2016, the art historian author focuses on famous Impressionistic painter, Claude Monet, in and around 1914. As a "driven, generous and sometimes petulant" elderly gentleman, Monet works on his much- loved paintings of the water lilies. There are 342 pages of text.

Hello,
I would like to nominate The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.
This novel fits the April theme of art through its focus on medieval manuscript culture, writing, and the preservation of knowledge. The abbey’s library, books, and intellectual craftsmanship are presented as a form of artistic creation, where ideas, language, and interpretation become central to the story.
Thank you.

I second The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith.

I nominate The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier. The story behind the creation of the famous woven tapestry in the Cluny Museum in Paris.

I nominate Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle. Artemisia Gentileschi in Rome, 1611 and the struggles she has not only making it as a talented artist, but as a strong-willed woman.

I second Disobedient

An oldie but supposedly goodie that I never got to was The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. Like to try that!

Mea culpa… The Agony and the Ecstasy was read several years back.

Nominating Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner…. War, art, sex, dancing and intrigue. Sounds unique and fascinating.

Hi everyone,
NOMINATION: Girl with a Pearl Earring — Tracy Chevalier
Why it fits the theme (Art): This historical novel is deeply rooted in the act of artistic creation—painting, the artist’s studio, and the quiet, often invisible human cost behind a masterpiece. Art here is not only an object, but a process that shapes lives, relationships, and identity.

I second Sarah de Vos. Outstanding book!

Vasyl wrote: "Hi everyone,
NOMINATION: Girl with a Pearl Earring — Tracy Chevalier
Why it fits the theme (Art): This historical novel is deeply rooted in the act of artistic creation—painting, the artist’s studi..."

This has been a group read before.

I second The Name of the Rose

I second The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier.

Jackie wrote: "I nominate "Mad Enchantment," by Ross King. Published in 2016, the art historian author focuses on famous Impressionistic painter, Claude Monet, in and around 1914. As a "driven, generous and somet..."

This appears to be nonfiction and as such will not be counted.

Vasyl wrote: "Hello,
I would like to nominate The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.
This novel fits the April theme of art through its focus on medieval manuscript culture, writing, and the preservation of knowle..."

This has been a group read before.

I second The Stolen Queen.

Jasmine wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I nominate "Mad Enchantment," by Ross King. Published in 2016, the art historian author focuses on famous Impressionistic painter, Claude Monet, in and around 1914. As a "driven, gen..."

Jasmine wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I nominate "Mad Enchantment," by Ross King. Published in 2016, the art historian author focuses on famous Impressionistic painter, Claude Monet, in and around 1914. As a "driven, gen..."

Oh, I'm sorry for my error. I guess I just wanted to read it.

Jolee wrote: "Nominating Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner…. War, art, sex, dancing and intrigue. Sounds unique and fascinating."

I second "Dancing for Degas," by Kathryn Wagner.

I nominate I Am You by Victoria Redel about Dutch painter Maria van Oosterwijck. I second The Stolen Queen.

I nominate The Painted Girls by Cathy Mari Buchanan published January 10th 2013. The title speaks for itself but it is a very moving book about the reality of their lives .

I nominate Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin
Follows five female painters who find themselves within the intrigues of the Medici and Pazzi families of Renaissance Florence, and who must risk everything to save one of their own.